SARS Attack: Heads to Roll, Says IG

Yemi Akinsuyi and
Senator Iroegbu
The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, has warned that any officer found culpable in the November 26 attack on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters in Abuja will be punished.

Abubakar said this in Abuja Tuesday during his official visit to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
He said investigations into the attack on the police detention centre by some unknown gunmen were still in progress.

“We are not resting on the issue of the attack on SARS headquarters.
“We are still investigating and once we conclude, we will take the necessary actions but l can tell you, heads will roll in SARS,” he said.

Also, the fallout from the twin bombings at a church at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, in Kaduna State, continued to reverberate yesterday, with the redeployment of its former commandant, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Kure, who was relieved of his position last week.

Kure was redeployed by the Air Force to Nigerian Air Force Holding where he will serve as its Group Managing Director.

Abubakar, however, said the present police management would treat the issue of security within and outside the force seriously.

On his visit to the FCT Command, Abubakar said he wanted to personally assess the preparedness of the command to safeguard lives and property in the capital territory.
He assured them of the Federal Government’s commitment to permanently address problems associated with police pensions.

Abubakar said that the welfare of the police would be regularly reviewed to enable them focus on the duties of securing the society.

The inspector-general, however, warned that the police authorities would punish erring officers and men, especially as it concerned their duties of protecting lives and property.

He said that the new police force would not encourage corruption, noting that anyone found wanting would be dismissed.

The inspector-general urged them to embrace a positive attitude to duty, pointing out that this was the surest way that the police could win back the confidence of the public.

Abubakar urged officers, especially the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), to be open and courteous in dealing with the public, insisting that police stations should be open to all and sundry.
“The police station is a public place, you must allow people to see you, you must be able to see people, you are there to help the public and you cannot do so if you are difficult to access.

“I appeal to all of us to try and imbibe this change that we are all talking about in this country, this change must take place in the police force,” he said.

Abubakar also stressed the need for synergy among the security agencies in the country, pointing out that the collaboration would help in dealing with emerging societal challenges.

He urged the police to cooperate with other agencies of the government to arrest the menace of robbery, kidnapping and insurgency in parts of the country.

The inspector-general, who was accompanied by some members of his management team from the force headquarters, later held a closed-door meeting with top officers of the command.

In a related development, the Nigerian Airforce yesterday redeployed the former commandant of AFCSC, who was relieved of his position last Friday.

Kure, alongside Major General M.D Isa, Corps Commander, Infantry, also located in Jaji, was replaced by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim.
Their removal was as a result of the investigation by the Board of Inquiry raised by the Defence Headquarters to unravel the bomb explosions, which rocked St. Andrew’s Protestant Church at the Jaji Military Cantonment on November 25.

Kure’s appointment was contained in a statement signed by the Air Force’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Commodore Yusuf Anas.

The statement read: “Sequel to the recent changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, occasioned by the unfortunate bomb blasts, the former Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Kure has been reassigned.
“He now moves to Nigerian Air Force Holding Company as Group Managing Director.

“The handing and take over ceremony between the former and new commandants of the college took place this morning.
“Meanwhile, Air Vice Marshal Peter Abel, former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Air Force Holding Company has been posted to Defence Headquarters as Director of Production. The appointments are with immediate effect.”

With the latest redeployments, Air Vice Marshal E.E Osim has replaced Kure as the commandant, AFCSC, while Major General K.C Osuji will act as Corps Commander of the Infantry.

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